Improvement in vacuum-pans and similar apparatus



N. PETERS, PHOTO LTHOGRAPHER WASHKNGTON D C tutrfli godet JOHN OTTO DONNER, OE JERSEY OITY, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 96,900, dated November 1.6, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN VACUUMQPANS AND SIMILAR APPARATUS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and. making part of the same.

To all whom fit inay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Orro DONNER, of Jer-` sey City, in the county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vacuum-Pans, applicable also to other purposes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and which represents a sectional elevation of a vacuum-pan, with my improvementapplied thereto.

While applicable to a variety of purposes, iu which it is desirable to prevent the escape of Huid or solid or soluble mattei', along with steam or vapor generated within a boiler or othervessel, it will sufiee to describe this improvement, in connection with a vacuumpan, as used in the manufacture of sugar, for which purpose my invention is mainly designed.

In such connection, therefore, the improvement consists in a novel construct-ion of trap, arranged within the pan, below the pipe that carries oli' the vapor, whereby the sugar is not only restrained from boiling over into the overtlow,-where that device is used, hut saccharine solution, carried up along with the vapor,

is prevented from passing ot' by the escape-pipe to the condenser, and thus a large percentage of loss or waste avoided.

Referring to the accompanying drawing- A represents a vacuum-pan, which may be of theA ordinary construction used in the manufacture ofl sugar.

B is the vapor-pipe, leading from said pau either to the usual or any suitable overtiow, or directly to the condenser.

C is a funnel-shaped rim, or annular projection, to the under side of the tp of the pan, of larger diameter than the escape-pipe B, that occupies a concentric position, or thereabout, to it.

This rim C should be of a tapering or hollow curvilinear form on its exterior, swelling outward in au upward direction;

Arranged immediately below this funnel-shaped rim O, is a cup-shaped vessel or device, D, of larger diameter than the lower end of the rim 0so as to leave an annular space, b, between the upper edge' of said cup D and lower end of the rim C.

A return-pipe, c, leads from the bottoni of this cup back into the pan A, 0r elsewhere, as may be desired.

In the operation of this trap, as formed by the funnel-shaped rim C and cup D, the vapor, in rushing with an accelerated velocity to and through the escape-pipe B, is restrained from doing so in a straight line, by being caused tofirst pass through the annular opening b, and said vapor in its way, at a certain velocity, through this opening, and carrying along with it saccharine solution, which, were it not for the trap, would pass oli' into the overflow or Outward to the condenser, is here separated, the funnel-shaped rim C causing the vapor and liquid particles or saccharine solution carried up with it to assume a circular, whirling action, following the tapering or curved exterior of said rim, the consequence of which is that the heavier particles, such as the mist-like particles ofthe saccharine solution, having a greater momentum than the vapor, will be made to keep the direction in which they have been diverted by the rim C, and be deposited within the cup D, from whence they may be returned by the pipe c to the pan, or be conveyed to any other suitable place of deposit, while the vapor,

separated by such precipitation of the saccharine solution within the cup D, will alone pass ofi' by the escape-pipe B. p

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

The combination and arrangement, with the vacuumpan or vessel A, and relatively to the escape-pipe B, for the vapor generated within said vessel, of tbe/tapering or curved funnel-shaped rim C and cup D, constructed to leave an annular opening, b, between them, substantially as and for the purpose or purposes herein set forth.

. J. 0. DONNER. itnessesz FRED. HAYNEs, R. E. RABEAU. 

